Power delimna....

[DanG]

OK, I need input from all you powerline ex-spurts. We got a notice that the power company is planning a new, 115kv transmission line. Their preferred route is along the railroad right of way that borders my place. :-/  Our mobile home is only 150 feet from the railroad, and we want to build a house just in front of the trailer. We can't move the site much further from the RR, as that portion of the property is only 300' deep.
Assuming they build the power line on the other side of the RR, will that give us enough seperation to be comfortable?  We need to get on with our planning, but won't know the final disposition of the power line until about this time next year. ???   We could build across the road, which we also own, but would really rather be where we are now. What to do, what to do?   If they should decide to build on our side of the RR, they would ruin the whole character of the place, and would have to shuck mega-coin into my pocket by purchasing the whole 300' strip.

[D._Frederick]

DanG,
I have a 500,000 Volt line running across the corner of our land. When you walk under it, it make your scalp tingle, you have to jump on or off the tractor to keep from getting shocked. A radio on AM is all noice near the line. I live a 1/3 of a mile from the line and would not like to be any closure.
The public power system can do anything they want.  You can take them to court but you will come out on the short end.

[Fla._Deadheader]

All the 115 lines I worked on, were on poles. I know things have changed since then. They MAY use a 4 legged tower system, because a swivel base tower would require guy wires. Right at the tracks, this would not be a viable option???
   A 115 line should not be much of a problem, IF it's built on the other side of the tracks. I can't quite remember how far the tracks are from the Homesite. They will have to stay away from the tracks in case a line should drop. That would give you another 25'. That ain't much, but, might make ya a little more comfortable. USUALLY, the aesthetic value isn't too bad with poles. Towers would look bad that close and could always lead to a 230 line being added in the future.
  Ya might nose around and see if they are using poles or towers. That would offer some insite into the future.
  I know your plans, but, is there room behind the mobile home, near the Sorghum mill, without being too close to it ???
  That might also give ya room with those towering Pines. :

[DanG]

Harold, the new house is supposed to go the other way. The cane mill is too close to the property line for our taste. We wanted to go the other way, toward the barn, and out toward the road a little...still hoping to get that road closed and deeded back to us by the county. IF the power line is on wood poles AND on the other side of the tracks, it shouldn't bother us too much. We can also hope they choose another route, but I can see why they prefer this one. The only thing that might change their thinking, is the fact that the RR will take them through the middle of Greensboro, and they may not want that.

[Ron Wenrich]

What is it that you're worried about - aesthetics, electrical interferance or health factors?

I have a metal tower about 200 yds from my house.  They are running a 450 kva line.  Aesthetically, you get used to it.  Its hard to screen one of those things out.

I get no electrical interferance.  I don't have cable, and the only time I have problems is when the wind blows and I'm trying to pull in a station far away.  I've been told you can stand underneath the line with a florescent light and it will light up.  

From a health standpoint, EMFs loose 90% of their punch before they hit the ground, and that's right around the line.  

[Fla._Deadheader]

Maybe DanG's lookin ahead and Don'T wanna be sterilized??? : : :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

   Oh Yeah; The equipment it would take to run AND maintain the line, will require a pretty wide right-o-way. If they take DanG's land, his road would probably be the access road for the hi-line.
  The local Politicos should know where the Power Co. is trying to tie up land. Check with yer Real Estate Lady. She should be able to find out where the politicians are trying to buy the land, so they can sell it to the Power Co. : : :

[Furby]

 Hey Ron,
 Have you tried that light trick, I'd like to know if it works before I try it. ;D
                          Furby

[Ron Wenrich]

Haven't tried the light trick yet.  Some people say you can watch balls of lightning travel the wires.  I haven't seen that yet, either.

I've always noticed that power R/W always go through the least amount of property they can.  They will opt to go through a large tract as opposed to going through a bunch of small tracts.

It could be that they will use the railroad R/W.  Its already there.

The width on my line is 100 feet.  They come in and mow it every 10 years or so.  They keep the trees trimmed.  I don't allow any spraying on my land, but they do it on others.  

[Grampa_Joe]

Well something on here I know a little about. If it is going to be an H frame 115 kv line the ROW will probably be in the 75 to 100 foot range. If it will be on single poles it can be narrower. Most places I've been the line wouldn't be built on RR or road ROW. The structures would be on the outside edge of that ROW and the two would overlap. The ROW has to be wide enough to account for the blow out of the conductors in strong winds. If the structures are kept in proper repair you shoudn't get any interferance with your TV or radio except maybe during electrical storms. If there is a storm don't be standing around the base of a structure as each will have a ground to direct lightening strikes to earth at the base of the structure. If they are really serious about building this there should be information available somewhere because they'll have to do an environmental asessment before aquiring the ROW. Once thats all hunky-dory the aquirement can begin. I personnaly having worked on these for many years wouldn't want my house within 1/4 mile of it. I have pulled conductor back from at least that far many times during repair of storm damage.
You can light up flourescent bulbs. If you are barehanding in the dark or twilight you can see a glow on your gear at higher voltages . I'm not sure cause I haven't tried it on the ground but I don't think the bulb will light up there.

[IndyIan]

Sorry DanG, I don't have any experience with the power line issue.  I guess you should start asking questions to anyone you can think of and document what they say.

For the florescent light trick though I've heard that you should run/drive underneath the lines travelling parallel to the lines.
I imagine it's on the internet somewhere!  

[DanG]

Thanks for the input, guys. I was thinking(there I go again) that a 115 was bigger.  Practicality would dictate that it would be across the track from me, as all the land for several miles on the west side is unoccupied, and all the land on the east is occupied by homes, barns, etc. That would put it 250 to 300 feet from our back door.  
We would save a bit of $ by locating the house where we were planning, because the septic and power are already there. We'll just have to decide whether the power line is enough pain and worry to make us spend the extra coin to relocate it.

[D._Frederick]

DanG,
The 500Kv line is a 1/3 of a mile away and we can hear it hissing in fog and rain. The power company flies along the line 2-3 times per month checking for hot spots. They have a 300 ft easement, wide enough for 2 lines, the developers are building houses right up to the easement. They say not to sleep with electric blankets on,  I don't think that I would like to sleep with 500,000 volts less than 150 feet away.

[Minnesota_boy]

In this state, power lines seem to prefer private property to cross, possibly because it is easier to do eminent domain against a private owner than against the state.  

[Furby]

 My parents have a 500kv line about an 1/8 - 1/4 mile from them. There is a rather large substation about a 1/8 mile past that. On a still night the substation hums so loud you can't here yourself think.  ;D The crickets and frogs think they are in heaven, based on the response they give.  :D When I was younger we would go back to the pond that is just on the other side of the lines. Most people said it was the wind, but you could see the lines jump as a surge would pass through.